Distance measuring system
First Claim
1. A distance measuring system for measuring a distance between two objects, comprising:
- transmitting means adapted to be mounted on one of the two objects, for transmitting a plurality of electromagnetic waves having respective wavelengths different from each other at respective transmit levels toward the other of the two objects;
receiving means adapted to be mounted on the other object, for receiving the electromagnetic waves transmitted from said transmitting means; and
distance detecting means for detecting a ratio of detected levels at which at least one set of electromagnetic waves of said electromagnetic waves is received by said receiving means, as corresponding to a distance between the two objects, and determining the distance between the two objects from said transmit levels and said ratio of said detected levels.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A distance measuring system for measuring a distance between two objects has a transmitter assembly mounted on one of the two objects, for transmitting a plurality of electromagnetic waves having respective wavelengths different from each other at respective levels toward the other of the two objects, a receiver assembly mounted on the other object, for receiving the electromagnetic waves transmitted from the transmitting means, and a distance detector for detecting a ratio of levels at which at least one set of electromagnetic waves of the electromagnetic waves is received by the receiving means, as corresponding to a distance between the two objects, and determining the distance between the two objects from the ratio.
34 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A distance measuring system for measuring a distance between two objects, comprising:
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transmitting means adapted to be mounted on one of the two objects, for transmitting a plurality of electromagnetic waves having respective wavelengths different from each other at respective transmit levels toward the other of the two objects; receiving means adapted to be mounted on the other object, for receiving the electromagnetic waves transmitted from said transmitting means; and distance detecting means for detecting a ratio of detected levels at which at least one set of electromagnetic waves of said electromagnetic waves is received by said receiving means, as corresponding to a distance between the two objects, and determining the distance between the two objects from said transmit levels and said ratio of said detected levels. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 9, 30, 31)
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2. A distance measuring system for measuring a distance between two objects, comprising:
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transmitting means adapted to be mounted on one of the two objects, for transmitting a plurality of electromagnetic waves having respective wavelengths different from each other at respective levels toward the other of the two objects; receiving means adapted to be mounted on the other object, for receiving the electromagnetic waves transmitted from said transmitting means; and distance detecting means for detecting a ratio of levels at which at least one set of electromagnetic waves of said electromagnetic waves is received by said receiving means, as corresponding to a distance between the two objects, and determining the distance between the two objects from said ratio, wherein said distance detecting means comprises means for determining the distance between the two objects according to the following equation;
##EQU3## where L represents the distance between the two objects, S1, S2 represent the levels at which said at least one set of electromagnetic waves is transmitted by said transmitting means, R1, R2 represent the levels at which said at least one set of electromagnetic waves is received by said receiving means, and α
1, α
2 represent attenuation factors per unit distance of said at least one set of electromagnetic waves between the two objects. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 7, 8)
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10. A distance measuring system for measuring a distance between two objects, comprising:
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transmitting means adapted to be mounted on one of the two objects, for transmitting a plurality of electromagnetic waves having respective wavelengths different from each other at respective levels toward the other of the two objects; receiving means adapted to be mounted on the other object, for receiving the electromagnetic waves transmitted from said transmitting means; and distance detecting means for detecting a ratio of levels at which at least one set of electromagnetic waves of said electromagnetic waves is received by said receiving means, as corresponding to a distance between the two objects, and determining the distance between the two objects from said ratio, wherein each of said electromagnetic waves belongs to a frequency band whose wavelengths range from 0.5 mm to 20 mm or a frequency band whose wavelengths range from 0.7 μ
m to 20 μ
m.
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11. A distance measuring system for measuring a distance between two objects, comprising:
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transmitting means adapted to be mounted on one of the two objects, for transmitting a plurality of electromagnetic waves having respective wavelengths different from each other at respective levels toward the other of the two objects; receiving means adapted to be mounted on the other object, for receiving the electromagnetic waves transmitted from said transmitting means; and distance detecting means for detecting a ratio of levels at which at least one set of electromagnetic waves of said electromagnetic waves is received by said receiving means, as corresponding to a distance between the two objects, and determining the distance between the two objects from said ratio, wherein each of said electromagnetic waves belongs to a frequency band whose wavelengths range from 0.5 mm to 20 mm.
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12. A distance measuring system for measuring a distance between two objects, comprising:
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transmitting means adapted to be mounted on one of the two objects, for transmitting a plurality of electromagnetic waves having respective wavelengths different from each other at respective levels toward the other of the two objects; receiving means adapted to be mounted on the other object, for receiving the electromagnetic waves transmitted from said transmitting means; and distance detecting means for detecting a ratio of levels at which at least one set of electromagnetic waves of said electromagnetic waves is received by said receiving means, as corresponding to a distance between the two objects, and determining the distance between the two objects from said ratio, wherein each of said electromagnetic waves belongs to a frequency band whose wavelengths range from 0.7 μ
m to 20 μ
m.
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13. A system for determining a distance between first and second objects comprising
a transmitter assembly for transmitting a first signal at a transmit level S1 and at a first frequency and a second signal at a transmit level S2 and at a second frequency which is different than said first frequency, said transmitter assembly being associated with the first object; -
receiver assembly associated with the second object for receiving said first and second signals from the first object; a distance detector assembly for determining a detected level R1 of said first signal and a detected level R2 of said second signal which have been received and for calculating the distance between the first and second objects by using said transmit levels S1, S2, a ratio R1 /R2 of said detected levels, and expected attenuation for said first and second signals. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 20)
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14. A system between first and second objects comprising
a transmitter assembly for transmitting a first signal at a first frequency and a second signal at a second frequency which is different than said first frequency, said transmitter assembly being associated with the first object; -
receiver assembly associated with the second object for receiving said first and second signals from the first object; a distance detector assembly for determining a level R1 of said first signal and a level R2 of said second signal which have been received and for calculating the distance between the first and second objects by using a ratio R1 /R2 of said levels and expected attenuation for said first and second signals, wherein the receiver assembly comprises a first receiver for receiving the first signal and a second receiver for receiving the second signal; the distance detector assembly comprises a first level detector for measuring said level R1, a second level detector for detecting said level R2, and a calculating unit for calculating the distance between the first and second objects by using the following equation;
##EQU5## where L=the distance between the first and second objects,S1 =a level of said first signal transmitted from said transmitter assembly, S2 =a level of said second signal transmitted from said transmitter assembly, α
.sub. = attenuation factor per unit distance for said first signal traveling between the first and second objects,α
2 =attenuation factor per unit distance for said second signal traveling between the first and second objects.
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18. A system for determining a distance between first and second objects comprising
a transmitter assembly for transmitting a first signal at a first frequency and a second signal at a second frequency which is different than said first frequency, said transmitter assembly being associated with the first object; -
receiver assembly associated with the second object for receiving said first and second signals from the first object; a distance detector assembly for determining a level R1 of said first signal and a level R2 of said second signal which have been received and for calculating the distance between the first and second objects by using a ratio R1 /R2 of said levels and expected attenuation for said first and second signals; a corrective setting unit for adjusting calculation of the distance between the first and second objects based upon existing climatic conditions between the first and second objects; a climatic condition detector which detects existing climatic conditions between the first and second objects, wherein said climatic condition detector comprises a light emitter and a reflected light detector for detecting amounts of rain and/or fog.
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19. A system for determining a distance between first and second objects comprising
a transmitter assembly for transmitting a first signal at a first frequency and a second signal at a second frequency which is different than said first frequency, said transmitter assembly being associated with the first object; -
receiver assembly associated with the second object for receiving said first and second signals from the first object; a distance detector assembly for determining a level R1 of said first signal and a level R2 of said second signal which have been received and for calculating the distance between the first and second objects by using a ratio R1 /R2 of said levels and expected attenuation for said first and second signals; a corrective setting unit for adjusting calculation of the distance between the first and second objects based upon existing climatic conditions between the first and second objects; a climatic condition detector which detects existing climatic conditions between the first and second objects, wherein said climatic condition detector comprises a rain gage.
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21. A system for determining a distance between first and second objects comprising
a transmitter assembly for transmitting a first signal at a first frequency and a second signal at a second frequency which is different than said first frequency, said transmitter assembly being associated with the first object; -
receiver assembly associated with the second object for receiving said first and second signals from the first object; a distance detector assembly for determining a level R1 of said first signal and a level R2 of said second signal which have been received and for calculating the distance between the first and second objects by using a ratio R1 /R2 of said levels and expected attenuation for said first and second signals; a correcting unit including a second transmitter assembly transmitting (a) a first correcting signal at a frequency equal to said first frequency toward a receiver spaced at a known distance from said second transmitter assembly and (b) a second correcting signal at a frequency equal to said second frequency toward a receiver spaced at a known distance from said second transmitter assembly for obtaining data for adjusting calculation of the distance between the first and second objects due to existing climatic conditions, wherein said correcting unit adjusts for existing climatic conditions by calculating an attenuation factor α
for each of said first and second signals by using the following equation;
##EQU6## where D=the known distance from said second transmitter to said receiver,S3 =a level of a respective correcting signal transmitted from said second transmitter assembly, R3 =a level of said respective correcting signal received by the receiver.
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22. A method of measuring a distance between first and second objects comprising the steps of
transmitting first and second signals of electromagnetic waves at respective first and second transmit levels S1, S2 from the first object toward the second object; -
selecting frequencies for the first and second signals such that the frequency of the first signal is different than the frequency of the second signal; receiving said first and second signals transmitted from the first object at the second object; detecting first and second levels R1, R2 for the first and second signals which have been received at the second object; using the first and second transmit levels S1, S2 and a ratio of the first and second detected levels R1 /R2 to calculate the distance between the first and second objects based upon expected attenuation of the first and second signals. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 28, 29, 32)
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26. A method of measuring a distance between first and second objects comprising the steps of
transmitting first and second signals of electromagnetic waves at respective first and second transmit levels S1, S2 from the first object toward the second object; -
selecting frequencies for the first and second signals such that the frequency of the first signal is different than the frequency of the second signal; receiving said first and second signals transmitted from the first object at the second object; detecting first and second levels R1, R2 for the first and second signals which have been received at the second object; using a ratio of the first and second detected levels R1 /R2 to calculate the distance between the first and second objects based upon expected attenuation of the first and second signals; calculating the distance between the first and second objects by using the following equation;
##EQU7## where L=the distance between the first and second objects,S1 =a level of said first signal transmitted from said transmitter assembly, S2 =a level of said second signal transmitted from said transmitter assembly, α
.sub. = attenuation factor per unit distance for said first signal traveling between the first and second objects,α
2 =attenuation factor per unit distance for said second signal traveling between the first and second objects.
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27. A method of measuring a distance between first and second objects comprising the steps of
transmitting first and second signals of electromagnetic waves at respective first and second transmit levels S1, S2 from the first object toward the second object; -
selecting frequencies for the first and second signals such that the frequency of the first signal is different than the frequency of the second signal; receiving said first and second signals transmitted from the first object at the second objects; detecting first and second levels R1, R2 for the first and second signals which have been received at the second object; using a ratio of the first and second detected levels R1 /R2 to calculate the distance between the first and second objects based upon expected attenuation of the first and second signals; transmitting a third signal at a third frequency which is different than said first and second frequencies from the first object to the second object; receiving said third signal transmitted from the first object at the second object; detecting a third level R3 for said third signal which has been received at the second object; using a ratio of the first and third detected levels R1 /R3 to calculate the distance between the first and second objects based upon expected attenuation of the first and third signals; averaging the distance calculated using the ratio R1 /R2 with the distance calculated using the ratio R1 /R3.
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Specification